Head Lice and Cockroaches Are More Popular Than Congress

The government shutdown has put Congress squarely in the spotlight, which is not a good thing. The public already considers them lower than cockroaches and colonoscopies. Seriously. 

A Public Policy Polling survey earlier this year found that respondents consider Congress less favorably than: head lice, root canals, Canadian rock band Nickleback, colonoscopies, France, used-car salesmen, traffic jams and Brussels sprouts.

It’s not all bad news for Congress though. Americans surveyed do prefer Congress to telemarketers, lobbyists, gonorrhea and the Kardashians.

Only percent of those surveyed have a favorable opinion of Congress. A whopping 85 percent have an unfavorable view of Congress.

Congresswoman Judy Chu, who represents Glendora in the 27th District, blasted the government shutdown.

“This is political brinksmanship at its worst. Republicans used the well-being of the American people as a bargaining chip – they tried to extort their way into a delay of the Affordable Care Act. They failed, but in the process they shut down the federal government," she wrote in a statement. "Pay for military personnel and the families of fallen soldiers will stop until the shutdown ends. Loans from the Small Business Administration that help create new jobs all across America will be shut off, right when our economy needs them most. This is absolutely reckless behavior, and the American people deserve better.”

Read the full report on Public Policy Polling’s website. 

What do you think of Congress? Has this week’s actions changed your opinion? Let us know in the comment section below.